Pinakbet

Pinakbet is originally an Ilocano dish, but it’s popular all over the Philippines. Many other regions have their own versions of the pinakbet. But, of course, the Ilocanos still make the best pinakbet. Pinakbet is a vegetarian dish that is perfect for those who are on diet.

The way my Ilocano grandmother make pinakbet is that she first sautee the garlic, onion, ginger and pork until juice is rendered from the tomatoes and a bit reduced. Then she boils the fish bagoong in substantial water. When the bagoong in water boils she places all the vegetables in layers, e.g. sweet potatoes (kamote), string beans first then lima beans, ampalaya, okra then the eggplant. Then she pours the sauteed ingredients on top and covers the pot until the whole vegetable stew is cooked. When it is already cooked, she stirs and mixes everything carefully once before serving.

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9 years ago

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Anonymous

Yup, actually there are many variations in the method of cooking pinakbet. Perhaps for those who prefer fat-free pinakbet, they can try the recipe posted. I also saute the garlic, and onions with some pork strips and shrimp to make it a one-dish meal. I don’t put tomato so that it won’t spoil at once. To make it even tastier, I’d remove the shrimp’s head and then pound them using a pestle and mortar. Or using a sharp knife, I’d finely chop the shrimps’ head until the juice is extracted. Then, the shrimp juice is extracted and using a strainer,… Read more »